


Hindsight Bias

by Firondoiel



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Qui-Gon Jinn Lives, Sexual Content, Written for the QuiObi Writing Discord
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:40:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25450000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firondoiel/pseuds/Firondoiel
Summary: Obi-Wan’s first mission as a Knight does not go well. Fortunately, he has Qui-Gon to help pick up the pieces.*Originally posted as part of my kink fills, but it didn’t really fit the prompt and works better as a separate one-shot
Relationships: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 110





	Hindsight Bias

The spray of the shower rained down on Obi-Wan’s tired body. He turned his face up towards the warm water and groaned as his aching muscles started to relax. There were several small cuts and bruises, but nothing he considered too severe-- including the throbbing dark bruise that covered most of his left side.

Obi-Wan pressed a hand against the injury. They had cleared him of any serious damage in the medical center, but he had refused the pain medication. He knew their supplies would be strained after the day’s events, and this was nothing he couldn’t handle on his own

Besides, he had failed these people today. 

He had sensed the first explosion before it happened and managed to evacuate that wing of the capitol building. He had also managed to circumvent damage from the second bomb, but the third and the fourth ones came too closely together. And he was only one man. 

But that hadn’t stopped him from trying. 

This was far from his first mission as a Knight. It was a delicate situation to negotiate peace between the two warring clans on this planet, but he had been deemed experienced enough to manage it. He _was_ experienced enough to handle it. Everything had somehow gotten away from him too quickly. 

It wasn’t the Jedi way to dwell on the past, but Obi-Wan could see every mistake that led to the destruction today. He should have realized that the ambassador had been angered enough to try something rash. He should have taken extra precautions. He should have requested back-up sooner than this morning. He should have contacted the Temple when he first sensed something might be off two days ago. 

Obi-Wan shut his eyes and bowed his head, letting the water fall over him. The tightness in his chest pulsed in time with the patter of the stream hitting the tiled floor around his feet. Grief and attrition surged inside him, threatening to overwhelm him. 

He breathed in sharply, then winced when his chest constricted and his side twinged, snapping him back to the present moment. 

That’s when he sensed a familiar presence in the Force. He had been so distracted that he failed to notice it until it was close. Before he could move, the door opened and arms gently encircled him from behind. He signed softly and leaned back. 

“I hoped they would send you,” Obi-Wan said. He took comfort in the feeling of Qui-Gon’s solid chest against his back, grounding him as his mind threatened to float away. 

“Do you think I gave them a choice?” 

Obi-Wan smiled at the image of his former master unabashedly making demands of the Council. A scene he knew all too well. He brought both hands up to rest over Qui-Gon’s arms, wishing he could sink into the embrace and forget. 

Those strong arms gathered him closer, sensing his need for the contact. Obi-Wan’s shielding was not stable enough to hide his anguish from someone who knew him so intimately. His body had been pushed nearly past its limits. He felt that tightness squeezing his chest again.

“Qui-Gon,” his voice sounded small. Broken. “I failed them.”

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon kissed the top of his head, “Everyone I have spoken with today says the loss of life would have been much greater without you.”

“Still,” Obi-Wan shook his head, ”I should have been able to-“

Qui-Gon shushed him and rubbed calming circles on his stomach. “Hindsight provides a powerful bias when ruminating on the past. We can always see the many things that we think could have been done with no regard for the resources that were available to us in the moment. You responded well today, Obi-wan. The tragedy is not your fault.”

The words slipped beneath the crushing grip in Obi-Wan’s chest. It still hurt, but he felt his shoulders collapse as the tension bled from them. The bitterness of failure still welled up in his throat, but hearing Qui-Gon’s approval eased something inside him. Just as it always did. 

A kiss was pressed to his temple. “What do you need from me?” Qui-Gon asked softly. 

Obi-Wan started summoning the strength to move from the safety of the shower, from Qui-Gon’s arms. “We need to go help with-“

“You need to rest, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon was firm, “What can you do if you are keeling over from exhaustion?”

Obi-Wan froze, feeling chastened. 

“I have already seen to many matters since arriving,” Qui-Gon continued, “I can spare a little time here. Now tell me, what do _you_ need?”

There was silence except for the drum of water on the floor. Finally, Obi-Wan grabbed at Qui-Gon’s arms.

“This,” he whispered, willing Qui-Gon to hold him closer. 

Qui-Gon’s left arm wrapped tighter around his waist while his right hand moved to lay on Obi-Wan’s chest above his heart. His fingers slowly brushed over Obi-Wan’s skin. 

“Has anyone seen to this?” Qui-Gon carefully touched Obi-Wan’s mottled side. 

“It’s deep bruising only,” Obi-Wan flinched at the gentle contact. He felt Qui-Gon frown. “No lasting damage.”

“But you’re in pain.”

“Supplies are low.”

“Their stock is already being replenished as we speak.”

Obi-Wan fell silent. Some stiffness came back to his frame as he waited. He already knew what Qui-Gon was thinking. There was no need to check the bond to realize Qui-Gon felt disappointment. In a moment, he would tell Obi-Wan that he should not needlessly martyr himself this way. That he did not want to see Obi-Wan punish himself through suffering for things that were beyond his control. 

But Qui-Gon said nothing. Instead, he placed his palm against Obi-Wan’s side and let the healing touch of the Force flow between them.

Obi-Wan started in surprise and then groaned quietly as cool, sweet relief rushed through the burning pain of his tender muscles and bruised ribs. 

“You have always said that you were not skilled at Force healing,” Obi-Wan relaxed again, closing his eyes as he felt Qui-Gon’s mouth against the side of his neck, lapping at the water droplets on Obi-Wan’s skin. 

“I have practiced over the years. A person may become skilled at anything if they apply themselves.” Qui-Gon said against Obi-Wan’s throat. 

“So you can teach an old master new tricks,” Obi-Wan waited to hear an indignant sniff, but Qui-Gon only chuckled and pressed more kisses along Obi-Wan’s shoulder.

“Even an old master can find the motivation for new tricks when he has someone dear to him that is often in need of them.”

Obi-Wan turned towards Qui-Gon until he caught a flash of calming blue as he rested his forehead against Qui-Gon’s. They breathed together. While neither one of them doubted the others feelings, they seldom verbalized them with the heavy taboo of Jedi attachment constantly looming over them. 

Obi-Wan suddenly became very aware that Qui-Gon’s other hand had settled low on his abdomen. He bit his lip. A flicker of interest stirred inside him.

Qui-Gon moved his hand lower still. Those long fingers lovingly caressed the jut of his hip bone, trailed gently through curls of hair, and then lightly dragged down the length of his hardening cock. 

A small gasp escaped from Obi-Wan at the fleeting touch. He was exhausted, but it had been several long months since he had seen Qui-Gon. Since he had allowed himself release. His body found the energy to respond to his lover as his spirit was bolstered by Qui-Gon’s reassuring presence.

But guilt still refused to quiet its poisonous whispering. A feeling of unworthiness came unbidden to Obi-Wan’s mind. His breath hitched. 

“No,” came Qui-Gon’s protective rebuttal, battling Obi-Wan’s own thoughts. “Just be. Just feel” 

Obi-Wan sank back against Qui-Gon, falling into the embrace of warmth with Qui-Gon’s bare chest against his back and the spray of water at his front. A hand took hold of his cock and slowly worked it to full hardness. 

It wasn’t going to take long. Only a few minutes of soft moaning, barely audible over the rushing flow of the shower. Heat built up inside Obi-Wan, coiling until it was almost ready to release, but then shame flashed through him again, and he panicked.

“Qui-Gon!” He clutched at the arms around him, crying out quietly, but frantically.

“It’s alright,” Qui-Gon assured, not faltering once in his strokes, “I have you.” 

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and let go. Let himself have these rare seconds of untroubled bliss as Qui-Gon brought him to his peak. 

“There you go,” Qui-Gon’s voice murmured roughly in his ear, and then he was lost in his orgasm. 

When Obi-Wan opened his eyes, he realized that Qui-Gon had shut off the water and was draping a towel over Obi-Wan’s body. Obi-Wan let himself be pulled in close, tilting his head up to meet Qui-Gon’s kiss. 

Then he was being led to his bed and carefully laid on the mattress. Qui-Gon stretched alongside him, pulling the blanket around them both before he placed his arm around Obi-Wan. He was already drifting off, his body thoroughly sated and his mind soothed into quietness. But then he felt the gentle sleep suggestion from Qui-Gon to ensure that he rested. He knew that Qui-Gon would slip away soon to continue aiding the recovery efforts, but with his last conscious thought, Obi-Wan felt warm and cared for. 

And he smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Here is my [Tumblr](http://www.firondoiel.tumblr.com) if you would like to follow me. =)


End file.
